Molecular characterization of environmental Cryptococcus neoformans isolated in Vitoria, ES, Brazil

Abstract

SUMMARYCryptococcus neoformans is the major cause of fungal meningitis, a potentially lethal mycosis. Bird excreta can be considered a significant environmental reservoir of this species in urban areas, thirty-three samples of pigeon excreta were collected within the city of Vitoria, Brazil. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated and identified using standard biochemical assays in ten samples. PCR amplification with primer M13 and orotidine monophosphate pyrophosphorylase (URA5) gene-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis discerned serotypes and genotypes within this species. All isolates were serotype A (C. neoformans var. grubii) and genotype VNI. The two alternative alleles a and a at the mating type locus were determined by PCR amplification and mating assays performed on V8 medium. All isolates were MAT a mating type but only 50% were able to mate in vitro with the opposite mating type MAT a tester strains (JEC20, KN99a and Bt63). This study adds information on the ecology and molecular characterization of C. neoformans in the Southeast region of Brazil.

The status of cryptococcosis in Latin America

“… Molecular data have been combined from studies reported in Argentina ( Meyer et al. 2003 , Refojo et al 2009 , Cattana et al 2013 , Mazza et al 2013 , Cattana et al 2014 , Cattana et al 2015 , Cicora et al 2015 , Arechavala et al 2017 ), Brazil ( Casali et al 2003 , Trilles et al 2003 , Igreja et al 2004 , Abegg et al 2006 , Ribeiro et al 2006 , Matsumoto et al 2007 , Lugarini et al 2008 , Ribeiro & Ngamskulrungroj 2008 , dos Santos et al 2008 , Trilles et al 2008 , Costa et al 2009 , Andrade-Silva et al 2010 , Pinto Jr et al 2010 , Souza et al 2010 , Ferreira-Paim et al 2011, d , da Silva et al 2012 , Freire et al 2012 , Silva et al 2012 , Cardoso et al 2013 , Tsujisaki et al 2013 , Anzai et al 2014 , Nascimento et al 2014 , Brito-Santos et al 2015 , Headley et al 2015 , Castro e Silva et al 2016 , Figueiredo et al 2016 , Lomes et al 2016 , Souto et al 2016 , Aguiar et al 2017, d , da Silva et al 2017) , Chile ( Calvo et al 2001 , Meyer et al. 2003 , Solar et al 2015) , Colombia ( Meyer et al 2003 , Escandón et al 2006 , Escandón et al 2010 , Firacative et al 2011 , Lizarazo et al 2012 , Lizarazo et al 2014a , Lizarazo et al 2014b , Noguera et al 2015 , Cogliati et al ...…”

“…Data from Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Panama about the molecular typing of cryptococcal strains has not been reported. a : C. neoformans has been mostly recovered from avian droppings, decaying organic matter, and soil ( Casali et al 2003 , Ribeiro et al 2006 , Lugarini et al 2008 , Ribeiro and Ngamskulrungroj 2008 , Andrade-Silva et al 2010 , Illnait-Zaragozi et al 2010a , Souza et al 2010 , Ferreira-Paim et al 2011 , Canónico-González et al 2013 , Castro e Silva et al 2016 ). C. gattii is associated with several tree species ( Escandón et al 2006 , Trilles et al 2008 , Costa et al 2009 , Refojo et al 2009 , Escandón et al 2010 , Firacative et al 2011 , Mazza et al 2013 , Anzai et al 2014 , Cattana et al 2014 , Brito-Santos et al 2015 , Vélez and Escandón 2017 ).…”

Diagnóstico de Cryptococcus neoformans mediante la PCR- RFLP en el líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) en pacientes hospitalizados en el sur de Brasil

“…grubii. La variedad grubii serotipo A es la más común en Brasil, siendo aislada en fuentes ambientales y clínicos; los estudios muestran que el aislamiento de este serotipo es más común que otras especies como C. gattii, más observadas en los casos de contaminación ambiental 13 . La patogenicidad del serotipo A todavía no es bien conocida y la falta de estudios revela diferencias entre los diferentes grupos 7,12 ; también es difícil determinar si las diferencias en los resultados del tratamiento son debido a las variaciones de especies contra el impacto de la inmunidad del hospedero 8 .…”

Genotyping of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from captive birds in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…In Brazil, the VNI and VGII molecular types have been predominant in clinical and environmental isolates, with variability among the different regions of the country. VNI is distributed in the midwestern and southeastern regions, 18,24,25 whereas VGII is found in the northern and northeastern regions 26,27 …”

“…17 In Brazil, the VNI and VGII molecular types have been predominant in clinical and environmental isolates, with variability among the different regions of the country. VNI is distributed in the midwestern and southeastern regions, 18,24,25 whereas VGII is found in the northern and northeastern regions. 26,27 Because of the variable distribution of Cryptococcus species, serotypes and molecular types that are recovered from human and environmental sources around the world, this study aimed to isolate and perform molecular typing on Cryptococcus spp.…”